Flexible trash bag holder

ABSTRACT

A trash bag holder having a base, and at least two substantially vertical walls extending from the base, the walls being substantially flexible in a horizontal direction so that when a trash bag is placed with its upper region over upper ends of the walls it is held by flexing the walls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to trash bag holders.

Trash bag holders are known in the art and formed usually as containers having a bottom and a peripherally enclosed wall which can be cylindrical, polygonal, etc., connected to the bottom. These trash bag holders have many disadvantages which can be eliminated, and therefore such trash bag holders can be improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a trash bag holder which eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art.

In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a trash bag holder, comprising a base; and at least two substantially vertical walls extending from said base, said walls being substantially flexible in a horizontal direction so that when a trash bag is placed with its upper region over upper ends of said walls it is held by flexing said walls.

Another feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in that each of said walls is formed as a hollow wall.

A further feature Of the present invention resides, in that each of said walls is formed by a rod-shaped element which is substantially loop-shaped.

A further feature of the present invention resides, in that said loop-shaped rod-shaped rod-shaped element is substantially uninterrupted, has two lower ends connected to said base, and extends from one of said lower ends substantially upwardly to one upper end, then substantially horizontally, and then again substantially downwardly from another of upper end to another lower end.

A further feature of the present invention resides in that each of said walls is removably connected with said base.

Still a further feature of the present invention resides in a connecting element which connects two opposite vertical sections substantially vertical sections of each of said walls with one another.

Still a further feature of the present invention resides, in that said connecting element is formed as a substantially horizontal extending strip having two opposite ends engaging with two opposite sections of each of said walls.

A further inventive feature is that each of said walls have an upper part which is bent away of the other said walls.

Also, each rod-shaped element can be formed as a closed loop, or as a loop which is open at the bottom.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trash bag holder in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the inventive trash bag holder; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the inventive trash bag holder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A trash bag holder in accordance with the present invention has at least two side walls which are identified with reference numerals 1 and 2.

The side walls 1 and 2 extend substantially vertically from a substantially horizontal base 3. The base 3 can be composed of four side elements 4 which are connected with one another by diagonal elements 5. The elements 4 and 5 can be also made of one piece with one another so that the whole base element is a one-piece element, or they can be connected with one another by known means, for example by bolts.

The side elements 1 and 2 are formed and arranged on the base so that they are flexible. In particular, they are urged by their own flexibility in a substantially horizontal direction away from one another as illustrated by arrows A and B. They can be connected to the base, so that they are inclined from a vertical plane away from one another.

In order to place reliably a trash bag on the inventive trash bag holder, the walls 1 and 2 are pressed toward one another so as to overcome their flexibility and in particular the forces acting away from one another in the directions A and B, and then a bag is fitted on upper ends of the walls 1 and 2, for example by introducing the trash bag inside and turning its upper part over the upper ends of the walls 1 and 2 as shown in FIG. 1. The trash bag is therefore firmly held on the walls 1 and 2.

As shown in the drawings, the walls 1 and 2 can be hollow. In particular, each of the walls 1 and 2 can be formed by a rod-shaped loop-shaped element 6 and 7 correspondingly. Each loop-shaped element 6 and 7 has two lower ends connected to the base 3 by any means, for example extended in corresponding holes in the base, fixed by connecting members to the base, etc. Each rod-shaped substantially loop-shaped element extends from one lower end to one upper end substantially vertically to form a vertical section, then extends substantially horizontally to form a horizontal section, and then extends from another upper end substantially vertically downwardly to the other lower end.

As can be seen from the drawings, each of the rod-shaped, loop-shaped elements has a small upper section which is bent away from the other rod-shaped element.

Each rod-shaped element can be formed as a loop that is open below, as explained. It can be also formed as a completely closed loop, with bottom section connected to the base.

Connecting elements 8 and 9 can be further provided, each arranged on a respective one of the rod-shaped elements 6, 7. Each connecting element connects the opposite substantially vertical section of each rod-shaped element with one another. Each connecting element 8, 9 for this purpose can be formed as a strap with two opposite loop-shaped ends that fit on the opposite substantially vertical sections of each of the rod-shaped elements 6 and 7.

When the trash bag holder is designed in accordance with the present invention, it is easy to use, it virtually does not need any cleanup. It is more sterile than conventional trash garbage containers, it provides significant time saving and cost saving since it is not necessary to buy a specially designed and sized trash containers.

The trash never touches the flexible rod-shaped, oval-shaped side walls or the bottom, and therefore no cleanup is needed, so that it can be used in doctor's offices, hospitals, etc. It is simply necessary to wipe the hollow side walls and bottoms with the sanitary closed.

A maintenance person does not have to constantly clean the receptacles and replace the bags, since it suffices to simply take off the bag and replace it. It is easy to use since for example in low maintenance operations the bag holder can be moved easily to any location.

It provides significant cost saving especially for facilities that have to buy a high quantity of trash containers on a regular basis, such as hospitals, schools, manufacturing facilities, food processors, the military. The trash bag holder is a one-type time-purchase.

It is believed that three different sizes of the inventive trash bag holder will be sufficient. The smallest size will replace all normal size trash containers as used in homes, hospitals, offices, etc. The medium size, the most popular, will replace the average 30 gallon to 55 gallon containers, it can be kept in a garage. The large size will replace large trash containers, i.e., lawn maintenance, and facilities that need large containers.

The small container can be held under a kitchen counter, in bathrooms, etc., the medium container can be kept in a garage for lawn and yard work, and can be easily moved around the yard.

The inventive trash bag holder can be used for office use; for school use, in particular in offices, classrooms, gyms, cafeterias, outdoor areas; for restaurant use in particular in kitchen, outside by dumpsters, behind bar; for hospital use in rooms, offices, nurse stations, cafeterias, emergency rooms; for for airport, manufacturing plants, food service industry, government buildings, military uses, as above.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a flexible trash bag holder, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 

1. A trash bag holder, comprising a base composed of four side elements connected with one another by intersecting diagonal elements; and at least two substantially vertical walls extending from said base and connected to said base in its corners in which each of said intersecting diagonal elements is connected to two adjoining ones of said side elements, and each of the walls is flexible in a horizontal direction and formed by a loop-shaped rod-shaped element, said walls being substantially flexible in a horizontal direction so that when a trash bag is placed with its upper region over upper ends of said walls it is held by flexing said walls, wherein each of said walls is configured as a hollow wall, formed by said loop-shaped rod-shaped element, wherein said loop-shaped rod-shaped element is substantially uninterrupted, has two lower ends connected to said base, one vertical portion which extends from one of said lower ends substantially upwardly, a horizontal upper portion extending substantially horizontally, and another vertical portion which extends substantially downwardly to another of said lower ends, wherein said two lower ends of one of said loop-shaped rod-shaped elements are connected with two opposite ends of one of said four side elements of said base, with first ends of two further side elements of said base, and with first ends of said intersecting diagonal elements, while said two lower ends of the other of said loop-shaped rod-shaped elements are connected with opposite ends of a remaining one of said four side elements of said base, with second ends of said two further side elements of said base, and with second ends of said intersecting diagonal elements. 2-5. (canceled)
 6. A trash bag as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a connecting element which connects two opposite vertical sections of each of said walls with one another and is formed as a substantially horizontally extending strip having two opposite ends engaging with two opposite sections of each of said walls, wherein each of said walls have an upper part which is bent away of the other said walls. 7-9. (canceled) 